A New Promise
by Strifegirl
Summary: One-Shot. Cloud makes a promise to Tifa while she recovers from her injury. Set after Advent Children. Leave me a review so I may continue to write more stories


**Cloud and Tifa****  
A New Promise  
****Written by Strifegirl**

Tifa was cleaning the bar while Cloud was doing some paper work on the counter. He took the day off so he could organize his agenda and spend more time with his family. Tifa was very pleased to see him around the bar and she continued with her cleaning without disturbing him. After finishing the dishes, she began lifting some boxes from the ground, when she accidentally dropped one of the bottles which she stepped on causing her to fall. Cloud saw the whole thing and went to aid her.

"Tifa! Are you alright?" he kneeled.

"Yeah, I'm fine…" she grunted. "I think I twisted my ankle…"

"Let me see…" Cloud examined her left foot to see if there was any injure.

"Don't worry; I'm sure it's nothing…" Tifa said.

"I don't know… it looks pretty bad to me…" Cloud affirmed.

"It's no big deal…" She got on her feet. "See? I can walk just fine…" Tifa fell on Cloud's arms after putting her left foot on the floor.

"Are you okay?" He asked worried.

"Yeah… I'm fine…" She grunted.

"No, you're not…" He lifted her and put her on one of the chairs from the bar. "Now, let's take a look at that…" Cloud grabbed her foot and twisted it a little bit to see her reaction and she complained even more when he did so.

"Does that hurt?" he asked her.

"Yeah…" She nodded.

"I think you broke something."

"Sounds bad…"

"It is bad. Maybe you should take the day off."

"But what about the bar… I'm the host remember?"

"I know, but I think it's better for you not to force yourself; other wise you could get worst."

"I guess you're right." She looked down, worried.

"Don't worry." He said to her. "The children and I will take care of everything. You can count on us."

Tifa smiled at him after hearing his respond.

"Thank you." She replied. Cloud blushed at the sight of her smile and looks away to hide from her gaze.

"Don't mention it."

Tifa giggles after seeing his face. Then, he goes upstairs to get some bandages for Tifa's ankle. He applied an ointment for the inflammation and then bandaged the ankle carefully.

"There… that should do it for now."

"It's doesn't hurt anymore."

"That's because of the medicine. Now, try to get some rest."

"But I'm not sleepy."

"I know… but trust me, it's better for you to stay in bed until it heals."

"Right…" she nods.

"Come on… I'll take you to your room." He bends over so she could climb on him as a bag pack. Cloud grabs her legs so she wouldn't fall and Tifa blushes. As he takes her to his room, Tifa rests her head on his back and enjoy the ride. Once there, Cloud puts Tifa on the bed and placed the ankle on a pillow. Then, he tucks her in the sheets.

"Well, I'll be downstairs if you need me." He said.

"Okay. Thanks Cloud." She smiles.

"No problem." He leaves the room and goes downstairs to open the bar as he promised.

The hours went by and Tifa was getting rather impatient. She wasn't used to be so inactive all day. That night, she tried to walk around the hall to the bathroom. Cloud had already closed the bar, so he went upstairs to see if she needed anything and for his surprise, she wasn't in her room. He looked for her in the corridor and found her there trying to walk to the bathroom.

"Tifa!" he shouted as he walked to her.

"Cloud…?"

"What are you think you're doing?"

"I uh…" she muttered herself.

"You know you're not supposed to walk like this."

"I know but… I was just trying to get to the bathroom…"

"Then why didn't you call me?" He demanded.

"Because… I didn't want to bother you…"

"Don't be ridiculous! Come on… I'll take you to bed." He leaned forward to reach for her.

"But I can walk just fine…"

"No, you can't! Sheesh! Why are you so stubborn?"

Tifa lowered her head and said nothing. Cloud leaned forward and she clung to his neck to keep from falling. When they reached the room, Cloud put her back in the bed, making sure not to hurt the ankle again. He sat on the bed to change her bandages and Tifa remained silent. Cloud's face was very serious and she was afraid that he might get angry with her if she says something. She never had seen him so upset.

Cloud noticed that Tifa was very silent and immediately turned to her. Tifa lowered her head in order to avoid eye contact. Her face looked like a little girl who was about to be punished and he felt bad for it.

"Look I'm sorry… I didn't mean to be so rude." He said to her.

"It's okay…" she replied.

"No, its not." he sighed. "I just…"

"What?"

"Nothing… forget it." He continued with what he was doing.

"Tell me…" she asked.

"Is just that… for once I want to take care of you… but I feel like I'm not doing a good job."

"How can you say that? Of course you are doing a good job… and I'm sorry if I'm being so difficult but I'm not used to being treated this way… and I feel like I'm a burden." She lowers her head.

"No Teef. You're not a burden… you never were." He grabs her hand. Tifa looks at Cloud searching for his eyes.

"I just want to make things right from now on. I want to be here for you… just like you always been there for me."

Tifa looked at him and smiled. Then, she took his hand in hers and rubbed it against her face. Cloud watched her confused by the gesture. She then opens her eyes and looks at him into his eyes.

"With you being here with us, is more than enough." She replied.

Cloud smiled after hearing her response. He took her hand and approached her so that he could embrace her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. It was the first time, after so long, that he was so kind to her.

"Promise me that you'll never leave us again." She whispered.

Cloud scoffed. "Again with the promise…?"

"Why not… you always seem to forget things… and I need you to hold on to it."

"I have a better idea." he leans and presses a soft kiss on her lips. Her eyes grew wider as she felt his lips in hers. He stayed like that for a moment and then he breaks the kiss only to look for her eyes. Tifa was breathless and she searched in his eyes the answer for the question that was tormenting her.

"What… what was that?" she asked confused.

"That's my new promise."

Tifa's eyes were locked on his. He then pulls his ring from his finger and places it on Tifa's hand.

"When the time comes, I promise I'll give you a proper ring."

Tifa's eyes started getting watery and she couldn't help but smile. Cloud takes her by the hand and placed the ring on her finger.

"Can I seal it now?" he asked her. Tifa chuckled and nodded. Cloud leans over once again to kiss her but this time, she kisses him back. Tifa gets lost in the moment and she begins to cry. He finally understood her feelings and she was thrilled to see that he also felt the same way.

That night became their new promise… a promise that will never break.

The end.


End file.
